Unfortunately I think You are correct , slow play holding people up not letting them
Play through , ten minute searches for lost balls,players picking up your ball when it’s clear it’s not theirs-they all frustrate me!! I thought I was just getting miserable !! However I will say that although this is creeping in it is still the most honest game to play and does teach most people manners , etiquette and honesty
Andrew

Shoaib,

You might be stirring the hornets nest with this post... but I guess we have all at one time or another experienced these (with exception of theft of the hole in one bag tag).

Golf is a game of where we act as both player and referee, and I guess some are the referee who sees a dive rather than a foul. Some, even the Pro's, are unsure and even transgress, Monty, Wie and Lexi Thompson for example .

We've all seen the player in the group in front who's consistently in the woods, water, bunkers yet comes in with a winning score.

I will admit to not questioning someone's score mid round,when I wasn't their marker, of 6 for a point rather than a 7 and there was no chance they would benefit by winning the match, yet I have questioned a first hole score when I wasn't their marker. Also have been DQ'd through an error that my marker made on my card (it won't happen again).

In the past having witnessed two playing partners argue over if a ball was on or off the fairway for a longest drive prize, and the driver of the ball threatening physical violence, I have come to the view that it's only a game (my game) and not a matter of life or death.

We all have a choice where and who we play with, but like all sports there are those that will bend the rules to gain an advantage and those that will cheat at all costs.

Take pride in your game and set an example for others to follow and enjoy the game knowing you are playing and winning without bending the rules.

Enjoy the weekend an wrap up warm, winter is on the way..

Ant

I'm not so sure about the cheating comment but I'd agree certain etiquette parts of the game have seem to have dwindled in recent years. The massaging of handicaps is a big issue and have witnessed it myself and does make me wonder at times why I battle so hard over the 18 holes to remain in buffer, may be the WHS will change these things, time will tell.

I totally agree with your comments about etiquette. I have been playing golf for over 35 years and the traditions and etiquette of the game continues to drop. I have been a member of one of the oldest golf societies in Britain and we get the opportunity to play some excellent courses, which are heaped in traditions. But it amazes me that etiquette by the newer members is shocking and there lack of knowledge of the rules. Every round I experience elements of cheating, although only minor in many instances, they seem to have a great effect to there scoring. If you mention anything they say its only a game, you can do the same, well I don't want too.
Only yesterday, in a match, I drove Out of Bounds, only by a few inches but my playing partner said just pay it. I said no and gave him the hole. Maybe it will be different next year but I suspect it wont !!
Sorry if I sound like a grumpy old man, i'm not really

I think the massaging of handicaps is a world wide problem, and yes for my money it is cheating! I had to chuckle Shoaib's post with respect to the helping of the Pro V ball by another. We were playing around the other day and a playing partner, playing a yellow AVX, was looking for his ball on the fairway. A player from another fairway came onto our fairway hit the yellow AVX and walked away. My friend questioned the other player about the ball he was playing. At the same time we found the other individuals ball, a white sirixon,

Hopefully the pendulum will swing back to respect for the game .

Have to agree with everything you have said.
Had an similar issue with ball snatching this past summer and when I confronted them lies right to the face. Unfortunately it’s happening everywhere.

There’s a hundred things you could add to this debate but my biggest gripe is doubles.
People that protect or enhance their handicap just to win doubles, wether it be at club level or opens.
Even in the Titleist doubles this year we were beaten by a 13 & 19 handicapper who after 15 holes were 2 under par gross, the 19 handicapper was on every fairway !
“That’s the best I’ve ever played” he said
I Personally struggled to shake their hands at the end of it as they cheered when my partner missed a putt !
I won’t be entering it again

I also won't be entering doubles again after similar happened to us with an 11 and 21 player.

Same thing happened to me!

Gaary,

Hey don't have a go at 19 hcp'ers hitting fairways as my averages are around 70% mark, it's GIR that I have the problem with...LOL

I'm playing in a charity day this week and over the last few years my team has done very well all of us declaring our club hcp's otherwise a society hcp. What riled me a few year back was a team from a society I played with won and the hcp's they entered with were about 6 strokes less than what they played on the society, me having both Congu and society hcp's about the same I knew they shouldn't have won.

Do we think the 2019 rules to declare all rounds will be followed?

Ant (cut 0.6 today)

Shoaib,

Think you are right although personally I have not seen an examples of massaging scores. Recently at my club I played with 2 members who had joined from a local course and when we started looking for one of my partners ball in thick rough and it was clear we would be there a few minutes I waved the group behind through as they were waiting on the tee and less than 100 yards away. My partners asked why I had done that and I explained we were still looking, likely to be a few minutes and they were ready to play to which they replied I shouldn't have done that because not waving others through was a 'matter of pride'. I simply replied it was the right thing to do and left it at that. At my club there are lots of other similar stories to the comments above I'm afraid.

I'm not sure the move to the WHC system will change anything when it comes to those who massage handicaps - from what I've seen and heard - if you're willing to cheat on the course, then nothing will stop you from entering an untrue score post round.

In South Africa, golfers are required to check in before each round and enter their score post each round - social, competition or even playing alone - every single score is recorded and your handicap is based on those scores yet I've played with a number of golfers with handicaps that were much higher than their true ability - only two weeks ago an 18 handicappy broke par (yes broke par) in a monthly comp run out there with the standard shrug of the shoulders going "it was just one of those days"

I also totally agree on the pairs tournaments too - I've played in comps where the pairs have in with betterball stableford scores of 50+ - it beggars belief.

I do despair as I've always (and still do) hold the game of golf and it's traditions, etiquette and honour and high esteem but an increasing amount of golfers out there don't seem to care which is very sad.

There's a saying "If you're willing to cheat at golf, you're be willing to cheat in life"